Pen flash light with light focusing means



May 15, 1934. N. A, ER 1,958,796

PEN FLASH LIGHT WITH LIGHT FOCUSING MEANS Filed Sept. 23, 1931 Exti- INVENTOR Patented May 15, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

Nickolas Alexander Mercer, New York, N. Y.

Application September 23, 1931, Serial No. 564,497

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in pen flash light devices, and its leading object is to provide a device of this kind with an adjustable lens carrier, which is shiftable on the barrel or case of the flash light, to condense the light rays emitted to illuminate a small area.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a device with an adjustable stop for limiting the movement of the focusing member 01' lens carrier.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a member for holding the battery cell spaced from the end of the case, which is composed of sponge rubber, capable of being com pressed under manual pressure, and through which an integral stud or contact member, formed on the end wall of the case, can be pressed to close the circuit through the battery cell and the lamp associated therewith.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in certain new and useful constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, clearly described in the following specification, and fully illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved device.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken on line A of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the forward end of the holding case.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view, taken on line B of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 5 is a detail enlarged sectional view.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation, partly in section of a modified form.

Fig. 7 is an end view of the battery case.

Referring to the accompanying drawing ihustrating the practical construction of the invention, 5 designates the lower or rear end of the holding case, which is formed of metal or similar material, and includes the cylindrical wall 5a and the annularly corrugated end wall 5b. This end wall is formed with an integral inset stud or contact member 6, which is designed to establish electrical contact with the end of the battery cell 7.

An upper or forward case section 8 is coupled to the case section 5 by means of the screw joint 9, which permits of ready separation of the two case sections.

The forward case section 8 is open at both ends and is formed with a longitudinal slot 8', located nearer the forward than the rear end of the case section. The forward end of the case section 8 is equipped with a metal reflector 10, the peripheral edge of which is turned outwardly and folded over the forward end of the case section 8, thus holding the reflector 1O concentrically of the case section 8. This reflector is formed with a threaded socket 10 in which the stem 11 of the electrical bulb i2 is detachably secured.

The battery cell 7 is disposed within the case section 5 and is normally held out of electrical contact with the contact stud 6, by means of the annular member 13, formed of sponge rubber, which has a central opening 13a toreceivethe stud 6 and normally holds the end of the battery cell from contacting engagement with the inner end of the stud 6, and at the same time insulates the battery cell from the case. The battery cell is covered with a label or paper which insulates it from the case sections, while the central electrode of the battery cell is in normal contact with the central electrode of the lamp bulb 12, the sponge rubber washer serving to hold the battery cell in electrical contact with the lamp bulb.

A metal sleeve 14 is arranged around the forward case 8 and is equipped with a button 15, which projects through the slot 8' of the forward case section 8, and is held in place for relative sliding movement, by flaring out the inner end of the stud 15 of said button.

A tubular lens carrier 16 is arranged to cover the forward end of the case section 8 and the forward end. of the sleeve 14. This tubular lens carrier has its forward end infolded to provide a retaining flange 16' against which the condensing lens 17 is disposed. This lens is retained in position by means of the ring 18, which is forced in the tubular carrier, and is provided with an internal flange 18' to bear against the lens 17. This tubular lens carrier may be detached from the case, but is normally held in place by means of the L-shaped slots or grooves 19 formed on opposite sides of the lens carrier tube 16. These L-shaped grooves are engaged by stud pins 20, carried by the sleeve 14, and extending from diametrically opposite sides thereof.

The insulating washer of compressible sponge rubber is held in place against endwise shifting by means of a bead 13, formed in the wall of the rear case section 5.

By shifting the lens carrier forwardly and rearwardly on the case, any desired concentration of light rays may be developed. By removing the lens carrier the light rays may be caused to diverge in the usual manner. The movement of the lens carrier, and therefore, the degree of the light focus, may be controlled by the adjustment of the sleeve 14, which moves the button 15 toward and away from the rear end of the forward case section 8, with which the button 15 may engage. Projections, formed on the case member 8 may be used in place of the pins 20.

When the device is coupled together, as shown in Fig. 2, the lamp will be illuminated when the flexible end of the battery case section 5 is pressed inwardly, thus causing the contact stud or member 6 to engage the end of the battery cell, and completing the electrical circuit through the battery and lamp. The end wall :of the battery case 5 is made sufilciently flexible for this purpose, by corrugating the end thereof as shown in Fig. 6.

The folded flange 10' of the metal reflector 10, which encloses the forward end of the case section 8, not only holds the reflector in place, but also serves as a stop to limit the end movement of the sleeve 14 on the case section 8.

By separating the two case sections a new battery cell may be located in the case.

A retaining clip 21 is attached to the case section 5 for supporting the device in the garment pocket of the user, or to hold the device upon any support while the light is being directed toward some object or objects.

In Fig. 6 Ishow a modified form of the invention, wherein the button 15 is dispensed with, and the sleeve 14a is formed with drawn studs 14b .and .140, which interlock with the L-shaped grooves 19 of the lens carrying tube 16. The

1 forward end of the sleeve 14a is prevented .from

.being detached from the forward case section 8, by means of the external flange 10' of the reflector 10., against which the forward end of the sleeve 14a is adapted to abut. The lens carrying tube 16 is similar in construction and equipment to the lens carrying tube 16 shown in Fig. 1., and is adapted to be adjusted on the sleeve 14a and also to be detached therefrom, when it is desired to use the device, without the lense, or to replace the lamp bulb.

By manually shifting or sliding the lens carrier tube 16 back and forth on the forward section 8 of the battery case, any desired concentration or dispersion of light rays, depending on the type of lens employed, may be accomplished, so that different light focuses may be readily obtained.

The case construction of the form shown in Fig. 6 is substantially the same as the case construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the exception that the button 15 is omitted and its slot is not used.

Various changes may be made in the construction of the device, in the details employed, and in the choice of materials used for its manufacture, without departing from the spirit of the invention, as herein stated.

Having described my invention I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:-

A flash light device consisting of a case forming an electrical conductor, a sponge rubber washer located in one end of the case, said case having a yielding metal stud projecting into the center of the washer, a battery cell arranged in the case and normally engaging the sponge rubber washer, a reflector mounted on the end of the case and providing an external stop, a sleeve mounted on the case and adapted to engage the stop provided by sad reflector, a button carried by and slidably adjustable with the sleeve and extending through a slot formed in the case, a tubular lens carrier mounted over the sleeve and formed with L-shaped grooves, said sleeve having studs to engage said L-shaped grooves, the forward end of the lens carrier being formed with .a concentric internal flange, a condensing lens disposed against said flange, and a ring disposed in said tubular carrier against the lens, .said ring having an internal flange to bear against the lens, the lens carrier being shift- :able with the sleeve to vary the light focus.

NICKOLAS ALEXANDER .MERCER. 

